Faith, Hope, and Real Estate: Spiritualism Guides Brokers Through Tough Business Waters

Do religion and real estate mix? A small but growing number of brokers and salespeople think so. Money isn't their objective. Integrating their beliefs with their business is.

Mixing faith and business isn’t unique to real estate. In the past year, a number of publications, including The New York Times, have reported a surge in spirituality in the workplace. The practice mirrors the public's current interest in morality and in reading such best-sellers as Living Faith by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Conversations With God by Neal Walsch.

Even at National Association of REALTORS® meetings, there's always been a nondenominational prayer before the member-director forum and Board of Directors meetings. Now we've learned of some practitioners who are putting their spiritual stamp on their own business, from advertising in religious-oriented directories to reading inspirational stories at sales meetings. As you read their stories, remember that incorporating your beliefs shouldn't cramp the style of those with divergent philosophies. For more on fair housing and employment considerations, see "The Flip Side of Religious Freedom"

Religious Foundation

Jenny and Bob Pruitt, co-owners of Jenny Pruitt & Associates, REALTORS®, in Atlanta, have made Christian beliefs the foundation of their company. The 10 Commandments hangs in the lobby, the mission statement closes with a religious reference, and managers' meetings conclude with Bible readings and devotionals.

"All wisdom that’s the right kind of wisdom for running a company is divine wisdom, and that can come only from God," Jenny Pruitt says.

Yet, the way the Pruitts incorporate their beliefs into their businessis relatively understated. There's no sign of religion on the company's Web site, and Jenny Pruitt declares she doesn’t know who among the brokerage's 250 salespeople share her faith. "I don't know really where any of them stand," she says. "Maybe a few of them will say to me, 'I have the same beliefs.'

"I'm very respectful of what other people believe," she continues. "I'd never want to [force anyone to] believe what I believe. At the same time, I don't want to compromise what I believe because of someone else's unbelief."

Pruitt says that as a result of the religious approach, her company has a reputation for integrity and high principles. It hasn't hurt profits, either.

"Our mortgage company, Trinity Mortgage, was profitable within the first six months," she says. "Our real estate company was profitable in 1989, a year when real estate started going down. We believe God's hand is upon our company as it is upon our lives."

Business From Faith-Based Sphere Is Still Business

Individual salespeople are mixing religion and real estate, too. Doug Anderson, of Keller Williams Realty, Manassas, Va., describes Christians as his "sphere of influence."

Anderson says neither his current broker nor his previous broker expressed any concern over his approach.

"The brokers couldn't care less what you identify with as long as you tap into your sphere of influence. Church is a huge sphere of influence for many salespeople," he notes.

However, he's quick to point out that he'll do business with anyone. "I'm not in the position of trying to convert people or push my faith. It never comes up unless clients or customers bring it up. If they say, "Doug, where do you go to church?" or "Where are some good churches in town?" then the door is open for me to visit with them on that level. But it's absolutely not a screening or a case of my feeling more or less comfortable depending on whether they identify with my faith."

A Mellow Brokerage

When selling broker-owner Hal Bates founded Faith Realty in Colorado Springs, Colo., six years ago, he fully intended to attract Christian salespeople and clients.

Today Bates and his three Christian salespeople close 40-60 transactions in a typical year, and 90 percent of their clients share their beliefs. "I wanted to design the company as a place where Christians could come together," Bates says, “and if they say, 'I need to pray about something tonight,' I understand what they’re talking about."

In addition to the religious name, Bates advertises in Christian business directories and integrates faith into the company's newsletters and Web site. The Web site includes links to "spiritual journeys of great Christians" and the company's Christian mission statement.

Bates says the occasional negative reaction from other salespeople or consumers is far outweighed by good feelings among his salespeople.

"People who aren't into Christianity will avoid the company--atheists, secular people--and I'm not upset about that," he says. But "you can't go to church on Sunday and turn it off on Monday."

A positive aspect is that "my salespeople have more fellowship," he says. “There's no competition in the office. It makes for a mellow atmosphere."

The 'Kosher Connection'

Christianity isn't the only religion practitioners call on in their professional lives.

For Rebecca Levine, a salesperson with RE/MAX-State Line in Leawood, Kan., it's Judaism that brings inner peace.

"Real estate is stressful, and my spirituality helps me in business," she says. "Through religion and maturity, I don't worry about things the way some people do. If I have a problem with a client and it’s disturbing me, I'm normally able to rest easy by putting it with God and letting it be."

Levine says neither other practitioners nor consumers would necessarily be aware of her faith unless they came to her home office, where they would see various Jewish items.

In addition to picking up business through her synagogue, Levine is part of the Kosher Connection, www.kosherconnection.com. This RE/MAX-sponsored referral service helps Jews find a real estate professional who's knowledgeable about a community's synagogues, Jewish private schools, kosher markets, and so on. Relocation is a large portion of Levine's business, and a number of buyers find her through the site.

Despite their religious convictions and connections, Levine and the others say they welcome clients of all beliefs.

"I've worked with Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Jews--a full gamut of people. I have great respect for everyone's religion," she notes.

The Flip Side of Religious Freedom

We live in a great country where you can practice the religion of your choice. Make sure that by nobly integrating your spiritual beliefs into your business philosophy, you don’t send an exclusionary message to salespeople, employees, clients, or customers.

Fair housing laws require that you provide equal professional service without regard to race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin and that your advertising clearly indicate that everyone is welcome. Employment laws also preclude you from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Religious activities or statements in an employment or fair housing context should be scrutinized to be certain they aren't at odds with these laws.